Folding fire-escape ladder.



I. POSS. FOLDING FIRE ESCAPE LADDER. APPLIOATIOH rmm no.1, mo.

988,593. Pafiented Apr. 4, 1911.

a g; PM" II a $2 'v F QL IKE POSS, 0F CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

FOLDING FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Application filed December 1, 1910. Serial No. 595,048.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IKE Poss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ten nessee, have invented certain new and useful Imprm'cments in Folding Fire-Escape Ladders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in folding or extension ladders for fire escapes, etc., and comprises a simple and eflicient apparatus of this nature which, when not in use, may be folded into compact form against the side of a building or other place in connection with which it may be utilized.

The invention comprises various details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the fire escape folded. Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating it partially opened, and Fig. 3 is a view of the sections in alinement with one another in readiness for use.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A, A designate two bars forming a section of the ladder with rounds A. The ends of said bars are curved as at a and forming means for holding the ladder sections spaced apart a slight distance from the wall against which it would normally rest.

Pivotall connected to the section of the ladder be ore described is a second section comprising side pieces B with rounds B and the corresponding ends of said bars B are curved as at B similar to the curved end a. The side pieces B are pivoted to the bars A, and C, C designate side bars of a third section with rounds C connecting the same and having corresponding curved ends. all of which curved ends described are for the purpose of holding the various sections spaced apart from the Wall in order that a person going up or down the ladder may have suflicient room to catch his or her feet upon the round and also to grip the ladder with his or her hands. A bar H is pivotally connected at one end H to one of the side bars B and its other end pivoted at 70 to a lever g, which latter is pivoted upon a pin z' carried by one of the side bars A. A chain f is fastened at one end of the lever g and is adapted, when the folding ladder is closed in the position shown in Fig. 1, to engage a hook c which is fastened to one of the curved ends of a bar A in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

Fastened to a bracket member T upon the wall of a building is a pulley T about which a cable or wire T passes and which is fastened to one of the folding sections of the ladder, while a weight T is fastened to the other end of said cable or wire and affords means for assisting in closing and normally holding the parts folded.

It will be noted that, by the provision of the means attached to the sections of the ladder for holding the same folded, the bar 9 serves as a lever for making it convenient and easy to draw the sections together and hold the same folded. When it is desired to release the sections of the ladder, it may be done by disengaging the chain from the hook 6, thus allowing the parts to fall by gravity to an operative position.

What I claim to be new is 1. A folding fire escape ladder made up of ladder sections pivoted together, a lever pivoted to one section and having pivotal bar connections with an adjacent pivoted section, and means connected to said lever for holding the sections folded.

2. A folding fire escape ladder made up of ladder'sections pivoted together, a lever pivoted to one section and having pivotal bar connections With an adjacent pivoted section, means connected to said lever for holding the sections folded, the ends of the bars curved, a hook fastened to one curved 10 end, and a chain fastened to said lever and adapted to engage said hook.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses. IKE POSS. Witnesses: Y

L. WV. WILSON, D. W. BARROW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

